K11 Lowering - Shorten Panhard rod

[redm]

Hello

I have a K11 with 35mm lowering springs and the rest is all stock. I have bought a Gizfab adjustable panhard rod. I now want to know, how much I need to shorten (adjust) the new panhard rod. I dont know, how to do this, so a idiot-prove step by step guidance would help me alot.

The car is already lowered and the stock panhard rod is still on the car. Wheels: 7x15 ET35 with 195/45/15 tires.


Thx in andvance

 

[bls]

I fit the gizfab last year, the main thing on the instructions seems to be equal turns each side of the middle nut.

 

[redm]

ah thx for your advice. How did you figured out, how many mm you need to shorten your panhard rod?

 

[FoxtrotF]

ah thx for your advice. How did you figured out, how many mm you need to shorten your panhard rod?

Best way would be get it aligned at a profesional shop. However, I did it myself and then at the shop they said it was just less than 1 mm off center. Just take a reference point in the body and the axle. I chose a point in the body behind the wheel, where a seam allowed me to pick the same point in both sides, and the edge of the drum brake (I didn't trust the arch, as my right one is a little bit bent). Then let the car stand on it's wheels and measured both distances. I used the trial and error approach, as jacking with a good car jack from the rear towing point is easy and fast. Jack up, change panhard length, let the car sit on the floor, measure. Done until the axle is centered so the distance between drum edge and body is the same in both sides.

If you want to cut and weld the stock panhard or do it right at the first time, you should measure the horizontal distance between the attaching point of the panhard in the body and point in the axle on the stock ride height and the vertical distance between said body point and axle, and then lower the car and apply the Pythagorean Theorem taking into account that the panhard is the hypothenuse, the horizontal distance between the attaching points in body and axle must remain the same and the other short side gets reduced the same amount the car lowers.

EDIT: You can adjust the car without taking the panhard out, as both sides of the adjusting nut have the thread in opposing directions.

 

[redm]

wow thy very much. I think I can do it with this guidance. Again, thx very much.

 

[.Maarten]

You dont want the axle to be dead center. Because it will shift to 1 side when the springs compress. Over a bump or with 3 fat chicks in the back for example

 

[redm]

Hahaha . Well due to the appearance of the micra, only skinny models get carried in my car. But I also carry a little gym in my trunk, so any fat person can do a work-out on the spot, before entering my car XD

 

[FoxtrotF]

You dont want the axle to be dead center. Because it will shift to 1 side when the springs compress. Over a bump or with 3 fat chicks in the back for example

Yeah, that's true. However, I rarely bring people at the back nor carry weight, also have some BC coilovers so suspension is stiffer and doesn't compress that much. You propably would want it being like a mm or so to the left, but I don't think the bump travel is enough to make a noticeable difference there when not in track.